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Speaking My Mind is about: Tobi, who is a middle aged, no, oh all right a slightly over the hill woman with all the imperfections that go with that, and this concerns her daily life's perceptions and experiences.

Did you know...

...if you have cervical herniations with stenosis you cannot or should not allow the hair stylist bend your head back to wash your hair? I haven't for years due to that above mentioned issue, which is now slightly worse according to my 4-11-17 MRI. I wash my hair daily in my shower and when I go they just spray my hair with water to cut. Oh the reason you should or cannot, because it can paralyze you or cause a stroke! At the very least it could cause extreme pain.

Anyway, the reason I brought this up is because of another goof I did, once again.
Remember I said I finally decided to get dental insurance and so I did and it went into minimal effect on Monday for X-rays and teeth cleaning, six months for the rest, well I did not make an appointment yet since my neck/ cervical stenosis and herniations are worse, and they bend your head back too, my cervical stenosis and herniations are possibly the cause for my arm and hand numbness or it could be my brain lesions from the MS is causing it... I see the orthopedic surgeons P.A. next week, haven't been there in two and half years when she was putting me in pain management program with their doctor for that and that was when Skipper, our Bichon Frise got so ill we had to take him to the specialist in Fort Myers and he died in two weeks after that, very sad. I never went back, since my concern over injections in my spine was worrisome to me.

And now my symptoms are much worse than last time, but what are they from the MS or my stenosis, that is also in my thoracic region, which is rare but both showed up on my MRIs on the date above. The herniation on my thoracic region is between T8-9 and that is unusual, but taken on the highest MRI machines of tesla 3, and with and without contrast.

So that is why I have been losing sleep due to pain.
I gave in to another Gabapentin today, my only pain reliever that seems to work without too harsh side effects, for me anyway.
I am sorry to say I have been basically bedridden, only getting out to use the bathroom and shower too. Hubby even feeds me here, my lounge chair is even too painful to sit/recline in.

My concern for not moving is due to the Lupus Anticoagulant, a clotting disorder that can cause strokes and heart attacks etc. that I was diagnosed with this past fall, but I probably had it all of my life due to miscarriages in my twenties and thirties and my TIA, mini stroke, back in 2006,( been on 81 mg. of coated aspirin ever since, as per neuro then) and my Mom probably had it too due to her major stroke that did her in, so getting out of bed is a preventative measure and out of fear!

I have been using moist heat and even did try extra strength Tylenol, guess this pain is stronger than that. Turmeric in warm milk with honey also tried, as turmeric is a natural anti-inflammatory.

I even tried my soft cervical collar, but with my CPAP mask for my sleep apnea, it is not comfortable. The machine readings have been going crazy too, my average is just what is mild sleep apnea at 5.7 usually, but lately my readings have been more severe at 10.5 or even over 14!
Yes, I do doze off, but wake up gasping for air!
CRAZY!

Enough about me... damn GOP voted all wrong today, for shame!
Thankfully, more hoops for them to all jump through before all is said and done.
Keep writing/calling your representatives, be persistent and maybe we can succeed!
Too many people will be left behind if we stop letting them know how we feel.
Call them @ 1-844-259-9352, it's not too late!
Never give up your beliefs.

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First one was my fairly new neuro, Dr. Lilliana Montoya, her nurse who called me back almost as soon as I left the message with me asking a few questions.
Like the fact that I had lowered my dosage on two medications for my spasms over weeks/months really, Baclofen down to 40 mg. a day unless I need more, which I have and I can take the additional amounts safely, and Gabapentin that I also lowered all the way down to 200 mg. a day. And now with this warmer weather and us going out more often it appears that I am being affected with it, since it has been causing more spasms. I have not been wearing my cooling vest either, since it is so bulky and this one has so many ice packs, too many in my opinion!
I do believe that is probably why, but not absolutly sure.
And apparently they have not received any of my blood work from the GP as of yet.
Angie, her nurse also thought I might want to move up my office visit to this month from my six month one in June, and she said she would ask the d…